May 31, 2010

When I started Butler Family Photography, I chose our name based on the fact that it would be Jacob and I (and hopefully someday our son) shooting and producing the images. I also wanted to imply that our main focus was family-inspired images.

It's so hard to get a great photo of everyone altogether in your family, especially a big family, and especially if you try to do it yourself. (I know, I've attempted it with my own.) So we are focused on making images for others that we would want shot of our own family. And would I love a big frame-able Special Edit like this one? Large enough for a 22 x 28 print or canvas. Yes! (You are going to want to see the bigger version. Click on the image to see it.)

A few design notes:

Jacob suggested I make the border look a little like the photograph is spilling over a bit onto the image frame. Fun idea, huh?

I change the names of the families when posting my designs on the web. Don't they look like they could be Johansens, though?

Oh, and a bigmassive thank you to Jacob who did the incredible editing on the background. It needed a lot more bushes and leaves than were there originally, and he is the master at that!

May 29, 2010

The other day I visited my friend and fellow photographer Diana. Our conversation really got me thinking about my photography and what I can do to grow in my own technique and business practices. Diana also leant me her copy of The Art of Children's Portrait Photography, and today I was really itching to take some photos of my little guy. I'm shooting monochrome (black and white) to really focus on exposure, working with natural light in higher ISOs, and not worrying as much about slightly blurred images as long as what I want in focus is sharp enough. Another big plus -- I'm doing minimal post processing to the photos.

Here's my son right after bath time giggling and playing peekaboo with the towel before bed. Daddy loves the images, so I know I'm on the right track. It's fun to learn!

May 20, 2010

My storyboard special edits are a hot item lately! Besides this one, I have 3 more packages I will be designing storyboards for. It's fun to create a custom look for each family's group of photos. This storyboard was based on a special edit I did last year, but definitely customized to fit the pictures from their shoot.

Here's how I did the blue background:

1. Flat colored base. I chose the color with the hues and shades of the photographs in mind.

2. Texturized so it looks a little like linen-finished paper.

3. Decorated with a subtle floral brush in a darker shade than the base color.

May 6, 2010

Had a chance to visit the Georgia Aquarium this week with one of my best friends and her son. I have never had to run around and chase my kid so much! He was super excited to be there, but also very, very hard to keep track of. Whew!

Shooting at the aquarium is always a challenge because of the light: colored, often very low, and with everything moving inside the tank, you have to turn up your ISO high and hope for the best! I love the shot below, my favorite of the day, and of course, the one of little miss by the tanks.

Butler Family Photography specializes in family and senior portraits as well as headshots for business professionals in the north metro Atlanta area including Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Johns Creek, Marietta, Cumming, Sandy Springs, Norcross, and Suwanee in the beautiful state of Georgia.